Grants offered to expand Wisconsin’s food systems
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), is accepting applications for the Wisconsin Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program.
The purpose of the RFSI Program is to expand capacity and infrastructure for the aggregation, processing, manufacturing, storing, transporting, wholesaling, and distribution of locally and regionally-produced food products, including specialty crops, dairy, grains for human consumption, aquaculture and other value-added food products. Funding for the program is provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Altogether, $27 million will be awarded through a competitive grant process. Grant applications are due by March 6, 2024.
The RFSI Program has two grant tracks, the Infrastructure Grant and the Equipment-Only Grant. Applicants may only apply for one track.
Infrastructure Grants will range from $100,000 up to $3 million. This grant can fund capital investments such as construction, equipment (delivery vehicles, frozen or refrigerated storage, value-added food processing equipment or other equipment for middle-of-the food supply chain activities) and building renovations.
Infrastructure Grants can also fund facility design or engineering, staff time, modernizing systems (tracking, storage, information technology, etc.), plan development and market development.
A match is required for Infrastructure Grants and starts at 50 percent of the project cost. However, if the main applicant qualifies as underserved, the match requirement will be reduced to 25 percent of the total project cost.
Equipment-Only Grants can range from $10,000 up to $99,999. This grant can only fund equipment. Equipment may be new, used or refurbished. No match is required for Equipment-Only Grants.
This includes those who may not have access to value- added opportunities, or processing to meet market demand for premium or value-added products, such as underserved producers.
To learn more about the program, visit datcp.wi.gov.
